Vanillosmopsis Sch. Bip. has been traditionally accepted as a synonym of Eremanthus Less., and Albertinia Spreng. was established to include Albertinia brasiliensis Spreng. This paper characterizes the pollen of Albertinia brasiliensis, Vanillosmopsis erythropappa and Eremanthus bicolor and provides information for future taxonomic studies. Pollen grains of specimens collected in different herbaria were used in this study. The two first species are found in Rio de Janeiro, but Eremanthus is not found in this state. For this reason, the type species of this genus was used for pollen analysis. Pollen grains were acetolysed, measured, described and illustrated using optical microscopy. Non-acetolysed pollen grains were used for analysis in scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that these species can be distinguished using mainly exine ornamentation and aperture features, revealing an interspecific evolutionary gradation of pollen characteristics. As regards the taxonomy of the species studied, the palynological data confirm the taxonomic position of Albertinia brasiliensis, but they do not support the subordination of Vanillosmopsis to Eremanthus.
palynotaxonomy; interspecific gradation; Compositae
